Magma Degassing as a Source of Long-Term Seismicity at Volcanoes: The Ischia Island (Italy) Case.

Transient seismicity at active volcanoes poses a significant risk in addition to eruptive activity. This risk is powered by the common belief that volcanic seismicity cannot be forecast, even on a long term. Here we investigate the nature of volcanic seismicity to try to improve our forecasting capacity. To this aim, we consider Ischia volcano (Italy), which suffered similar earthquakes along its uplifted resurgent block. We show that this seismicity marks an acceleration of decades-long subsidence of the resurgent block, driven by degassing of magma that previously produced the uplift, a process not observed at other volcanoes. Degassing will continue for hundreds to thousands of years, causing protracted seismicity and will likely be accompanied by moderate and damaging earthquakes. The possibility to constrain the future duration of seismicity at Ischia indicates that our capacity to forecast earthquakes might be enhanced when seismic activity results from long-term magmatic processes, such as degassing.

The quantitation of 7beta-hydroxy-epiandrosterone in the plasma and seminal plasma of men with different degrees of fertility.

7beta-hydroxy-epiandrosterone (7beta-OH-EpiA) is an endogenous androgen metabolite that has been shown to exert neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-estrogenic effects. However, to the best of our knowledge no information is available about this androgen steroid in relation to sperm quality. We analyzed 7beta-OH-EpiA in plasma and seminal plasma using a newly developed isotope dilution ultra-high performance liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry method. Validation met the requirements of FDA guidelines. Levels of 7beta-OH-EpiA were measured in 191 men with different degrees of infertility. One-way analysis of variance followed by multiple comparison and correlation analysis adjusted for age, BMI and abstinence time were performed to evaluate the relationships between this steroid and sperm quality. Concentrations of 7beta-OH-EpiA in seminal plasma were significantly higher in severely infertile men in comparison with healthy men and slightly infertile men. The same trend was found when blood plasma was evaluated. Furthermore, plasma 7beta-OH-EpiA negatively correlated with sperm concentration (-0.215; p<0.01) and total count (-0.15; p<0.05). Seminal 7beta-OH-EpiA was negatively associated with motility (-0.26; p<0.01), progressively motile spermatozoa (-0.233; p<0.01) and nonprogressively motile spermatozoa (-0.188; p<0.05). 7beta-OH-EpiA is associated with lower sperm quality and deserves more research in that respect.

Different volumes of injectate using electrostimulator and blinded techniques for brachial plexus block in dogs.

To compare different volumes of injectate using electrostimulator (ES)-guided and blind brachial plexus blockade (BPB) techniques in dogs. Prospective, randomised, blinded study. Fifty-eight healthy adult purpose-bred beagle dogs. Animals were randomised into 4 groups based on the volume of methylene blue 0.1 per cent administered for BPB, three using ES technique: E1 (0.2 ml/kg, n=22), E2 (0.6 ml/kg, n=22), and E3 (1.0 ml/kg, n=14), and one using blinded technique B4 (1.0 ml/kg, n=14). After euthanasia, the axillary region was dissected and nerves identified by a blinded evaluator. Success was defined as 3/4 nerves stained, or presence of dye in the tissue immediately surrounding the plexus. There were no significant differences between groups when total nerve count, adjacent staining, success rate (92.8-100 per cent), or rate of haematoma were evaluated. The musculocutaneous nerve was significantly more targeted in B4 than E1 and E2, but not E3. Electrostimulator-guided BPB using lower volumes of injectate had similar success rate as the blinded technique using higher volume, thus, lower volumes can be used without compromising success. When an ES is not available, the blind technique with 1 ml/kg is also acceptable. However, when performing an ES-guided BPB, volumes as low as 0.2 ml/kg can be used. As volume is increased, the musculocutaneous nerve becomes more likely to be targeted.

Pain threshold and tolerance in Alzheimer's disease.

We tested both pain thresholds and pain tolerance in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) by means of phasic and tonic noxious stimuli. In the first case, electrical stimulation was used, whereas in the second case arm ischemia was studied. By comparing AD patients with normal subjects of the same age, we found no differences in stimulus detection and pain thresholds, whereas a clearcut increase in pain tolerance was present in AD patients. The severity of AD was assessed by means of the Mini Mental State Examination test (MMSE) and the spectral analysis of the electroencephalogram (EEG). There was a straightforward correlation between MMSE scores and pain tolerance such that the more severe the cognitive impairment the higher the tolerance to pain. In addition, analysis of the EEG power spectra indicated that patients with low alpha and high delta peaks showed an increase in pain tolerance to both electrical stimulation and ischemia. These findings show that, whereas the sensory-discriminative component of pain is maintained in AD patients, pain tolerance is altered and depends on cognitive and affective factors. Thus, pain tolerance is tightly related to the severity of the disease according to the rule, 'the more severe the MMSE and EEG changes, the higher the tolerance to pain'.

Neurophysiologic assessment of nerve impairment in posterolateral and muscle-sparing thoracotomy.

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at analyzing the degree of intercostal nerve impairment in posterolateral and muscle-sparing thoracotomy and at correlating the nerve damage to the severity of long-lasting postthoracotomy pain. METHODS: Neurophysiologic recordings were performed 1 month after either posterolateral or muscle-sparing thoracotomy to assess the presence of the superficial abdominal reflexes (mediated in part by the intercostal nerves), the somatosensory-evoked responses after electrical stimulation of the surgical scar, and the electrical thresholds for tactile and pain sensations of the surgical incision. RESULTS: The patients who underwent a posterolateral thoracotomy showed a higher degree of intercostal nerve impairment than the muscle-sparing thoracotomy patients as revealed by the disappearance of the abdominal reflexes, a larger reduction in amplitude of the somatosensory-evoked potentials, and a larger increase of the sensory thresholds to electrical stimulation for both tactile perception and pain. In addition, these neurophysiologic parameters were highly correlated to the postthoracotomy pain experienced by the patients 1 month after surgery, indicating a causal role for nerve impairment in the long-lasting postoperative pain. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows for the first time the pathophysiologic differences between posterolateral and muscle-sparing thoracotomy and suggests that the minor long-lasting postthoracotomy pain in muscle-sparing thoracotomy patients is partly due to a minor nerve damage. In addition, because nerve impairment is responsible for the long-lasting neuropathic component of postoperative pain, it is necessary to match specific treatments to the neuropathic pain-generating mechanisms.

Lipoprotein and hepatic lipase activity and high-density lipoprotein subclasses after cardiac transplantation.

Atherosclerosis is the leading obstacle to long-term survival in cardiac transplant patients. Increases in plasma triglycerides and lipoprotein cholesterol levels occur after transplantation that may contribute to transplant atherosclerosis. The etiology of this increase is unclear. We investigated the interaction of immunosuppressive medications with plasma triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the HDL subclasses HDL2 and HDL3 cholesterol, and hepatic and lipoprotein lipase activity in 72 consecutive cardiac transplant patients compared to 51 healthy control subjects. In the transplantation group, greater concentrations of plasma triglyceride (80%, p less than 0.001), LDL cholesterol (16%, p less than 0.005) and hepatic lipase activity (100%, p less than 0.001) were noted, whereas lipoprotein lipase activity was noted to be significantly lower (124%, p less than 0.001). No difference was detected in HDL, HDL2, or HDL3 cholesterol. Cyclosporine dose was significantly associated with hepatic lipase activity (r = 0.33, p less than 0.02) and inversely associated with lipoprotein lipase activity (r = -0.28, p less than 0.05). Lipoprotein lipase activity after transplantation correlated inversely with triglycerides (r = -0.36, p less than 0.002) and positively with HDL cholesterol (r = 0.23, p less than 0.05) and HDL2 cholesterol (r = 0.29, p less than 0.05). Hepatic lipase activity correlated inversely with LDL cholesterol (r = -0.21, p less than 0.08). In multiple regression analysis, cyclosporine dose was the major source of variation in hepatic lipase activity.

A very rare fetal malformation: the cutaneous widespread vascular hamartomatosis.

A rare fetal malformation with a large number of vascular masses over the entire body diagnosed by ultrasound examination at 24 weeks of gestation is described. No report of this anomaly has been found in the international literature.